Best Tips for an Overall Healthy Holiday

Here are some of SupermarketGuru's top tips for staying healthy and enjoying the last couple of weeks of the holidays

The holiday season revolves around family, friends, parties and of course food. Here’s how to stay in line with your holiday healthy eating plan with a few of the SupermarketGuru’s trustworthy tips:

Try not to get seduced by all of the holiday treats…everywhere you go! Best way to do this is to plan ahead and prepare meals from scratch at home – or combine homemade and ready made or takeout foods- i.e. pick up a rotisserie chicken from your local market and steam some veggies and assemble a salad from scratch at home. Having a plan will help you avoid the many indulgences this holiday season.

Think about all the gatherings and festivities you may be attending, and plan your eating around these functions. If you know unhealthy foods you want to avoid will be served, eat beforehand, this way you wont be tempted by a grumbling stomach.

Take time from your hectic holiday schedule to have sit-down dinners with family/friends. Schedule meals into your routine, eating meals with others can be a pleasant and relaxing social activity, which is a necessary component of a healthy lifestyle. But make sure to watch your alcohol consumption. Alcohol is a source of calories, and adding mixers adds to the caloric load. Limit festive drinks and stick to a glass of wine – or skip the alcohol altogether and volunteer to be the designated driver.

Eat slower! Take smaller bites and chew thoroughly! Taking the time to eat allows you to have a greater appreciation for the taste of your food. In fact you can actually taste and enjoy what you are eating, which in turn may lead to making healthier food choices. Eating slower will also help you to stop eating when you are full. The brain doesn’t register how full we are immediately, so we usually end up overeating before we even know it!

Digestion begins in the mouth. The more time you spend chewing each bite, the better your body can digest all of the wonderful nutritious components of the meal.

Include the kids in the food preparation process. Having an extra set of hands can help speed along preparation, but you will also take more time to teach them the proper cooking and food hygiene techniques. Then sit-down together and savor the fruits of your labor! Holidays are more fun together!

Be aware of food allergies, not only yourself, but of your holiday guests as well. Notify your host if you or someone in your family has a food allergy- food allergies can cause a huge headache (pun intended!), so it’s best to try and avoid them at all costs. SupermarketGuru’s Food Allergy Buddy & Celiac BFF is a must have when eating out, especially during the busy holiday season.

And last but not least, indulge occasionally! After all it is the holiday season and you owe yourself a treat. Enjoy!